1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an indication plate.
2. Description of the Related Art
A casing constituting an external body of an electronic apparatus such as a television set, in many cases, has attached thereto an indication plate for indicating (displaying) a logo mark or the like.
As such an indication plate, there has been provided one that is manufactured by the steps shown in FIGS. 7A to 7D.
First, as shown in FIG. 7A, a cavity of a mold is charged with a molten synthetic resin used as a light-transmitting material, whereby a convex portion or portions 54 having a shape to represent a logo mark or the like is formed at a surface on one side of a plate member 52.
Next, as shown in FIG. 7B, a light-shielding coating material 56 is applied to the whole area of the one-side surface inclusive of the convex portion(s) 54.
Then, as shown in FIG. 7C, the light-shielding coating material 56 on the tips of the convex portions 54 is shaved or scraped off, to expose the tip end faces 54A of the convex portions 54.
An indication plate 50 formed in this manner is used as follows.
A light source 2 is disposed on the back side of the indication plate 50.
When the light source 2 is turned ON, light is transmitted through the plate member 52 including the light-transmitting material, to be radiated through the tip end faces 54A to the exterior, so that the shape representing the logo mark or the like is visually recognized as if it were emitting light.
In the case of such an indication plate, however, the indication (display) of the logo mark or the like disappears when the light source 2 is turned OFF.
In view of this, a measure may be contemplated in which as shown in FIG. 7D, a metallic foil 58 having a light-transmitting property is attached to the tip end faces 54A. In this case, even in the condition after the light source 2 is turned OFF, external light is reflected by the metallic foil 58, so that the indication (display) of the logo mark can be retained.
The attachment of the metallic foil 58 to the tip end faces 54A is preferably carried out by a method in which a metallic foil 58 is attached to the tip end faces 54A by hot stamping (refer to Japanese Patent Laid-open No. Hei 6-183125, Japanese Patent Laid-open No. Hei 9-50239 and Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2003-248446).